Nutritionist debunks the post-festive ‘detox’ myth and shares ways that actually help with weight loss after Navratri

After the festive season, people look for easy ways to lose the weight they put on while indulging in mithais and snacks. Roshni shares the right way to do it.

After every festival, people often turn to restrictive diet plans and internet fads in a bid to get back in shape. Navratri is no different. Nine nights of garba and dandiya, late dinners after hours of dancing, and plates piled high with sabudana vadas, kuttu puris and rajgira sheera make for a festive indulgence. But once the nine holy days are over, the urge to undo all that mithai and festive feasting kicks in, sending many scrambling to try the latest diet trend.

In a conversation with HT Lifestyle, Roshni Sanghvi, holistic nutritionist and functional health expert at Clinic Living Plus, points out, “The irony is that many people are fasting during Navratri, but vrat food is not always light. Sabudana is mostly starch, and kuttu puris and aloo fries are deep fried. So people come out of nine days of ‘fasting’ feeling heavier than when they started.”

Navratri is all about indulging in snacks and mithais that make you gain weight.

Crash diets and “metabolic jet lag”

According to the nutritionist, going up and down between very high and very low calories puts the body through a kind of metabolic jet lag. It interferes with the body’s hormonal response and can leave people gaining stubborn fat that is hard to lose. Over time, the body also stops responding to diets and the scale refuses to move.

“People do not need a ‘detox’ at all. The liver is constantly detoxing the body. It simply needs support through the right food,” explains Roshni. “Detox is what naturally happens when someone leads a balanced life. There are Ayurvedic herbs that can help the liver’s detoxification work, but they come with side effects of their own when taken without supervision.”

Instead, she shares her top three suggestions for losing a few kilos after the festive season.

Aim for one raw meal a day

“It is not about skipping meals or starving. It’s about consciously choosing food that nourishes your body,” highlights Roshni. This could be a smoothie or fruits for breakfast, a wholesome salad with sprouts or tofu for lunch, or even lettuce wraps for dinner. A sweet potato chaat with lemon, or a bowl of fruit with a sprinkle of roasted makhana, works just as well in the days right after Navratri. “Making one meal a day lighter but still fibre-rich keeps people full while eating fewer calories,” the nutritionist adds.

Eating more fibre can help you lose weight.

Up your steps

According to Roshni, “If you danced garba every night for nine days, do not suddenly stop moving once the festival is over. Take the stairs when you can, walk to and from work when it’s possible, and go for a long walk after dinner instead of collapsing on the sofa with the TV on. A walk after meals does more than burn calories. It helps control blood sugar spikes, and all that small movement through the day adds up. Hitting the gym hard is fine, but it isn’t required.”

Eat more leafy greens

“Leafy greens and fibre help the body make more of its own GLP-1, the same satiety hormone that the weight loss drugs India is raving about are built on. They keep people fuller for longer,” the nutritionist notes. But a spoonful of chutney with a meal is not enough. Roshni recommends recipes like palak khichdi, methi parathas, amaranth pappu, air-fried kothambari vadai and sarson ka saag. Her rule is simple: at least one meal a day should be rich in leafy greens. That way, people are not fighting cravings all day and feel full naturally.

The body does not need to be punished with starving or over-training after every festival. It needs a little more movement, a little more nutritious food and a little more attention. Roshni suggests using the weeks after Navratri to build strength.

“Try new recipes that are healthy and tasty at the same time, challenge yourself to move more and eat right, and stop forming negative associations with food. Make it a lifestyle change and you can enjoy every festival, all year round,” she concludes.

Note to readers: This article is for informational purposes only and not a substitute for professional medical advice. Always seek the advice of your doctor with any questions about a medical condition.

Roshni Sanghviis an award-winning holistic nutritionist, functional health expert and former clinical psychologist at Clinic Living Plus. She specialises in plant-based nutrition and lifestyle modifications to support the management of chronic and lifestyle-related diseases, offering personalised nutrition plans, wellness coaching and health workshops.